Selective signaling system.



J. B. HARLOW.

SELECTIVE SIGNALING SYSTEM.

APPLICATlON FILED APR. 20. 1915.

i 9 1?2,5Q8. Patented Feb, 22, 916.

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JOHN BEAR "TON HARLOW, OF NEW YGRK, N, Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, 'IQ 'WESTEBI? ELECTRIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, A COB-EOBATION OF NEW YORK.

SELECTIVE SIGNALING SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 20, 1915. Serial No. 22,569.

To all whom it may concern:

it known that 1, JOHN- tow, a. citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York 5 and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in. Selcctive Signaling Systems, of which the follouing is full, clear, concise, scription.

This invention relates to signaling systems and more particularly to a .selective signaling system for despatching trains in which semaphore signals located along the track are selectively set and restored-to normal from a distant or dcspatchcrs station.

The object or this invention is to provide means in connection with such a system whereby after the signal is moved into set or clear position, a subsequent operation of the despatchers apparatus for moving said signal into the same BRAYTON Haaposition will result in the despatcher receiving an answer-back signal characteristic of the position Oftlle signal "Without affecting the pos 'ion of said signal. a In accordance with the general features t invention there is provided at each signal selectively ope-rated circuit controlling means operated from the despatchers station to set signal to clear or danger position together with an answer-back sending device, and circuit controlling means therefor operated'upon each operation of the se atively operated circuit controlling means to cause an answer-back signal t'o be; dc patcher;

The answer-back controls operable independently of the n of: the signal or semaphore so that c despatcher operate the selective \lilsllib closing niean's to set the signal or seinaphore'in one position or the other, and said signal or semaphore is already in the desired position the despatcher Will receive characteristic answer-back affecting the signal or semaphore.

The drawing is a diagram of a circuit wired in accordance With this invention.

in the drawing it. designates a sending or despatchers station and B and C Waystations connected with line Wires and 6. Located at the despatchers station A are a plurality of transmitters 7, 8, 9 and 10, each included in a local circuit with a battery 12 ling nicer,

and an impulse relay 13, which relay isadapted in response to the operation of any one 0t said transmitters to connect and dis and exact designal without I connect a source of energy 15' with the line Wires 5 and 6. At each of the \vaystations B and C is located a relay 16 which is connected in bridge of the line and responds to current impulses from the sending station A. Located at each of the Wa'ystations B and C are selectively operated circuit con trolling means 17, 18, 19 and 20. Each of said selectively operated means comprises a step by step element 21, stepping and holding pawls 2 2 and 23 and fast and sloiv-acting stepping and holding magnets 2i and 25 connected in series and adapted to operate said pawls 22 and 23 to cause the advancement of said step by step element 21 in response to impulses from the sending station. Each step by step element 21 carries a contact arm 26 adapted in the movement of said step by step element 21 to be brought into engagement with a contact member 27. The relation of each of the arms of the several selectively operated de-' vices 17, 18, 19 and to their corresponding spring contact members 27, 27, is such that it will nquirc a dili'erent number oi? current impulses through the operating magnets 24 and 25 of the several devices to bring the arm 26 into engagement with the contact member 2?. At each of the Waystations B and C is located an electrically operated semaphore signal 30, the circuit of signal 30 at Waystation B being adapted to be closed by the operation of the selectively operated device 17 to set the signal and to beopened by the operation of the selectively operated device 19 to clear the signal. The signal 30 at Waystation C is adapted to be set'and cleared by the operation of the selectively operated devices 19 and 20. Answer-back devices each comprising a motor and coded interrupter-s 36 and 37 located at the Waystations B and C are operated in the operation of the selectively operated devices to transmit to the despatcher a signal to notify him of the position of the signal 30. a

The despatcher desiring to setthe signal 30 at waystation B Will operate the transmitter 'Ztvhich will cause a suiiicient number of current impulses to be transmitted over the line and through the relay 16 to step the step-hy-step element 21 of the selectively 0perated device 17 into position to bring the arm- 26 thereon into engagement With the contact member 2?.

The engagement of tion of said answer-beck means when said ineved into set or clear position,

ereby a subsequent operation 'iveiy operated meanszney be made to -J..-nse cperaticn of said answer hitch: mechanism without sheeting the posiof said sig Lei. l T v z; seleetie ignalingsystem,e sendsietien, e we? ion, seieaively pen i circuit coli oiiing meanest the wayt ion, SBIZQZIL resi heist waystetion, circuit :idr-sa ic nivghore signal, switch hy the operation means eoritroll inf saidscl'cctit' l; secreted n ce-11s iordetermining the position of said semaphore sigincl, answer-beck means,' a. circuit therefor controlled by said switching means and means whereby said answer-back means r be cause djto operate npene, subsequent he selectively ogre-rated means the pcsitlon of said'semawhen selectively open means ct said weyste tioii, in'ipiilse sending means at seidsendin z" station ior controlling the operation of said selectively operated memes a sen where s: g

cal at said .s ystetion, ecircnitf therefor, es SWlo lg n: ns at smdtvaystetion contrciled oysaid seieetieeiy operated means in response to current impulses fromthe station to open and close the cirof said semaphore signal to move it to cieer position, anew inechaw said we statien ed, ed to tran to 'e des; xtcher designating position (if swid' se n Mere signai, e/cir. cuit for said answer-beck means inciuding s -i-olied by said seiectiveiy enerctod device and said switch' means the se cti've 'signsiingsystem, a: send seiectiveiy iii contact in the circuit of said answer-back means remaining closed so long as the signal is in the position last moved, whereby the subsequent operation of said selectively operated device. in response to the same number of impulses last transmitted will cause another operation of said answer-back means. without affecting the position of said semaphore. r 7

5. in a selective signaling system a sending "station, 2. weystation, selectively operc ted circuit controlling means at the Waystation, impulse sending means at thesending station, for controlling the operation of said selectively operated means," a semephore signal at the waystation, a circuit therefor, electromagnetic switching means at said we station on ener izin circuit therefor closedby said selectively operated means in response to a certain number of.

impulses at the sending, station and opened by said. selectively operated means 'ln'iresponse' to a difierent numberof current 1mdespatcher without afiecting the position of the seinephcre signal.

in witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 19th day of A'pnLA. D. 1915.

JGHN new ON HARLOW, 

